3 Or 4 Poops a Day???? Is This Normal?

Updated on
March 15, 2010

M.S.
asks from
Tucson, AZ
on March 12, 2010

9
answers

Help! I am worried about my girls. I have twins and they are 13 months old. They have, just recently, started pooping 3 times a day. This seems like a lot. I am a little worried they are not getting enough nutrition and they are going through diapers like crazy. I need some help. Is this a problem? What can I do? Is it just a phase???

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C.W.

answers from
Albuquerque
on
March 15, 2010

This is normal 3 or 4 times a day. I myself have a set of twins who turned two in January. This is an average amount of bowel movements. The older they get the more diapers you will go through. My twins father is a physician and he says the babies should be getting enough nutrition from foods s long as their are getting the right amount of servings for veggies and fruits and they are just disposing of the waste that the body does not need. Hope this eases your mind.

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L.N.

answers from
Flagstaff
on
March 13, 2010

My 2-yr-old has always gone about that often. I've heard that that often is ideal - as many times as you have a meal. It is interesting that it's just barely changed. Maybe you made a change in their diet for the better?

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A.M.

answers from
Lakeland
on
March 12, 2010

My 2 year old has always pooped 4-5 times a day. The dr. says this is normal. He is an ideal weight and we have never had any gastro problems with him (except when he had the flu). Better out than in...right?

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D.W.

answers from
Indianapolis
on
March 12, 2010

My son (3.5) has always pooped 2-4 times per day. He has a good, active colon.

Our daughter (23 months) was on the right track until some constipation sidelined her a few months ago, and we're having to retrain her to poop. Nothing like telling your kid pooping is fun and not to be afraid of it.

If you are concerned, call the pediatrician and ask if this is normal.
Usually, the concern for nutrition is when there is diarrhea. But, fecal matter is usually the metabolic byproduct after all the needed nutrients have already been absorbed into the intestinal tract and the bloodstream.

I think you're going to find they're OK, but for peace of mind a call can't hurt.

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A.H.

answers from
San Francisco
on
March 12, 2010

So normal! My 10 month old has been pooping 2-3 times a day ever since we started on solid food. Also, if they are formula fed that can do it too. As long as the poop is normal, not runny all the time and has no blood, don't worry! It comes along with eating solids, they have small digestive tracks so they can't store up all that food and only have one bm a day until they are closer to two years old. Remember, nothing else compares to breast milk, it is so nutrient efficient that they probably only pooped once a week when they were breastfed, I know my son did. But once you start introducing other stuff, it's a whole new ball game. If you are super worried, call your pediatrician, they will reassure you. As long as they are gaining weight and hitting all there milestones they are fine!

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A.W.

answers from
Seattle
on
March 12, 2010

My daughter has always been a regular, two to four times a day, pooper. She is 3 and is still that way. I believe that it is because they are eating the right foods and their body is processing it the right way. I would be more concerned if it was like diarreha or if she was constipated. But normal looking poops, 3 to 4 times a day are pretty healthy and normal.
That doesn't make it easier for you, I know, because that is a lot of diapers.

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C.M.

answers from
Dallas
on
March 12, 2010

Both my kids, 3.5 yr old girl and 17 mos boy) are big poopers. When my daughter was younger she would poop anytime after eating ice cream or drinking milk. She still poops 2-4 times a day. My son poops almost as much. To be honest...I'm kind of jealous! I have the opposite problem :-)